I was reading the Asian World Newspaper and I came across a page about world religions. I read what it said about Islam, and it said that; “In its first phase, Islam was aggressive. But the mystics of Islam, or the Suif saints helped in spreading the message of peace and universal love.”What it says is a whole load of crap. The real essence of Islam was there in its first period, and if you say that it was aggressive, then your saying that Islam is aggressive; a common misconception of the 21st century, fuelled by the media, which is inevitably controlled by America. (Most of it anyway). Islam is a peaceful religion, that is why it spread so quickly, because of its fairness to all, humans and creatures alike. And people who say Islam was spread by the sword are totally wrong. Another misconception fuelled by the media. Empires were spread by the sword es, but religion, no. How can people say Islam was aggressive when Muslims at war are not allowed to harm people who do not raise a weapon against you, women, children, aged people, trees, nature etc. Makkah was conquered without a drop of blood being shed, Jerusalem was conquered by Hazrat Umar Farooq without any lives being taken because it was for tolled in the Jewish scriptures that not to fight with the man with so and so description, and hand over the keys of Jerusalem to him without a fight because you will surely lose. And if Islam was spread by the sword then how come no-one was massacred. And right now I am talking about the early days. And the Jews of the city – when it was time for the Muslims to pray – offered for them to pray in their synagogue, but Hazrat Umar refused saying he didn’t want people to say that the Muslims conquer cities and read their prayers in other religions places of worship and also so it didn’t become a tradition.Yes Muslims have been persecuted, probably more than any other religious people since the beginning of time. Yes Muslims were forced to convert religions under persecution. When the Christians conquered Jerusalem, they massacred like hell, leaving not women, children, babies etc. It is said that the blood came up to the horses knees’ and how high up are horses knees? And what about when Spain was re-captures, Muslim Mosques were turned to churches, Muslims were treated unfairly, tortured, not cared about, had no right, were not allowed to avoid pork at meal times, had their graveyards desecrated etc.The amount of Muslims persecuted and that are still being persecuted is way more than the Holocaust, if it ever happened, but I am not going to accept or deny the Holocaust publicly for it is against the law. Hah, that’s funny, it is against the law. Now that’s saying something.And think about the Children in Iraq, Afganistan, Lebanon, Africa etc who are being killed mercilessly, under the heading of “War on Terror” fuelled for worldly desires of oil, natural resources, and generally the killing of Muslims, because of the fear that if Muslims unite, the truth will reach the world. But all the major stuff is dubbed down, and the diluted version reaches the public.I an going to conclude, by saying that Islamic law is just, and people only say that it was “aggressive” because the Muslims had the guts to retaliate Now-a-days retaliation for survival is seen as terrorism, and keeping your mouth shut is seen as if you are hiding something. Wake-up to the truth. Now.
Posts Tagged islamic
Cairo – Al-Azhar
u> The Fatimid Period 969-1171CE
The Abbasids rule fell and the Fatimids fourth caliph Al Mu’iz li Dinullah took Egypt from them in 969 CE. His military commander Jawhar Al Saqilli immediately began to build a new capital for his master calling it Cairo. Cairo located on the east side of the River Nile and to the south of the Mediterranean ocean became the heart of the empire.The grand mosque Al-Azhar’s foundations were laid in 971 AD (14th of Ramadan 369 Hijrah according to the Muslim calendar) and took two years to build. The name was originally Al Qahira (The Mosque of Cairo) but was later changed to Al-Azhar (The Splendid) in honour of the prophet Muhammad’s (Peace and blessings be upon him) daughter Fatimah Al-Zahra where also the “Fatimids” name is derived from. The first prayer in this magnificent mosque took place on 788 AD (7th of Ramadan 361 Hijrah according to the Muslim Calendar).The Fatimids were of Shia belief and so the Friday sermons, call to prayer, religious lectures and how the country was run was done according to Shia laws. Prayer as held in Al-Azhar and so it became the center of religious life. From the very beginning however, Al-Azhar was a center education and learning. The first lectures took place as early as 975 CE.The caliph Al Aziz Billah established a more formal and advanced education structure. He employed qualified and renowned scholars to teach in Al-Azhar and built hostels nearby to accommodate the teachers and students. At that time, studies focused on Shia theology, but some basic grammar, literature and history was also taught. There was free tuition, plus board and lodgings.It was not until another school; Dar al Hikmah was added to Al-Azhar in 1005CE that these subjects and several sciences became significant features in Al-Azhar’s syllabus. It had raised the standard of education in Egypt and produced scholars such as Bin Zulaq author of “Fada’il Misr” (Egypt’s assets) and “Qudat Misr” (Egypt’s judges). Also ulma (scholars) like Imam suyuti, Imam Ibn Hajar Asqalani and Imam Ibn Hajar Al-Haitami glorify the name of Al Azhar and its past.
The Ayyubid Period
Salahuddin Al Ayyubi (Saladin) defeated the Fatimids in 1171 CE, returning the country to Sunni rule as it was before the Fatimids took over. Saladin became sultan of Egypt and Syria in 1176CE when the Syrian sultan Nuruddin passed away. Keen to remove the Shia influence from Egypt, he ordered that the Friday prayer be held at Al- Hakimi mosque rather than Al Azhar. It was only after a century that prayer was held in Al Azhar again. Saladin built a large array of schools all over Egypt all teaching the four schools of Sunni jurisprudence (Hanbali, Shaf’i, Maliki and Hanafi). Saladin did not close Al Azhar, but let it teach the four schools of Sunni jurisprudence. Although the fame of Al Azhar decreased a little during the Ayyubid period, it still produced some very successful and famous scholars.
Al-Azhar library
Al-Azhar library, which was compiled in1897, comprises 99,062 books consisting of 595,668 volumes of the most precious Islamic manuscripts and rare books, some as old as the 8th century. The library is a center of attraction to researchers, students and other Islamic universities. It contributes to human knowledge about the Islamic heritage by making photocopies of some of the manuscripts available for the benefit of researchers from Egypt and other countries. The library does not collect non-Islamic literature.
Legacy
Al-Azhar is considered to be the most prestegious school of Islamic learning, and its scholars seen as the most respected. Amoing it, it teaches Islamic relegion, culture and Arabic. It maintains a committee of ulma (Islamic scholars) to judge on individual Islamic questions, a printing establishment for printing the Qur’an, and training (government-appointed) preachers in Islamic missionary work. Al-Azhar is the oldest kown university to be established, even older than Oxford and Cambridge.
